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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- postofficbenin99@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "MR. BROWN VICTOR" <hlljhn138@gmail.com>
Reply-To: postofficbenin99@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2011 04:45:25 +0900 (KST)
Subject: FROM REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE BENIN.
Post Office
Adresse:
Barnes Road PO
BOX12720,
FROM REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE
BENIN.
may 25th/2011.
THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT
THERE IS AN ATM CARD IN THIS OFFICE THAT IS DEPOSITED BY A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION
BODY ON THE March24th/2011.
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WAS
ATTACHED TO IT AND IS TO BE POSTED TO YOU. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO
CONTACT US FOR YOUR CONFIRMABLE ATM CARD WHICH CONTAINS THE SUM OF $2.7MILLION
UNITED STATE DOLLARS AND SOME VITAL DOCUMENTS.
SO KINDLY GET BACK TO
THIS OFFICE (REGULAR MAIL POST OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC) TO AVOID FRAUDULENT ISSUES
CONCERNING IN THIS SERVICE.
YOU ARE TO CONFIRM AND PROVIDE TO US YOUR
POSTAL ADDRESS BELOW.
1. YOUR FULL NAMES:______
2. Postal
ADDRESS:_______
3. PHONE NUMBER:_________
4. CELL NUMBERS:_______
5.
EMAIL ADDRESS:________
6. SEX:_____
7. AGE:_____
8.
OCCUPATION:________
9. NATIONALITY:________
NOTE: THAT YOU ARE TO PAY FOR THE DUTY
STAMP FEE OF $62 USD. YOU ARE ADVISE TO SEND THE DUTY STAMP FEE THROUGH WESTERN
UNION TO THE POST OFFICE WITH THE MANAGER'S NAME BELOW AND FORWARD THE PAYMENT
IFORMATION TO THE POST OFFICE EMAIL (postofficbenin99@gmail.com ) FOR
IMMEDIATE STAMP OF YOUR ATM CARD.
1.
Receiver Name :======= NGOSINE JOHN OBAGHA
2.
City/Country:========== Cotonou - Benin Republic.
3.
Question============= Who is Able
4. Answer:============= God
5.
Amonut:============= US$62
NOTE: THAT EVERY CLAIMS HAS AN
EXPIRYING PERIOD OF SEVEN WORKING DAYS (7DAYS) SO YOU HAVE TO DO THAT VERY
URGENT TO AVOID EXPIRATION.
Thanks
Your
Best Regard
MR. BROWN VICTOR
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Anti-fraud resources:
